Phylum: Chordata “possessing a notocord”

CLASS AGNATHA General Characteristics Most primitive Body elongated and cylindrical (eel-like ) Lack paired fins & scales of most fishes Cartilage skeleton Mucous covered body

Lack jaws – Feed by suction with aid of round, muscular mouth, rows of teeth, and rasping tongue

TYPES Hagfish (slime eels) (64 sp.) Scavengers – bore into prey & eat from inside out; Can go months without food Cold marine water; live in tunnels in muddy bottoms Almost blind; can be up to 2.5 ft ; tentacles around mouth Depths 25 – 1000 m

Hagfish Defenses Create huge amounts of slimy mucus

Can tie into knots

Hagfish Uses Food in Korea, Japan

Skin makes leather (often called eel)

Slime is sugar & protein =

Lamprey (40 sp) Parasitic – attach to fish & suck blood or eat bottom invertebrates Marine & freshwater; all breed in freshwater Temperate regions

Lamprey Uses Food – Southwestern Europe $25 pound

Lamprey as Invasive N.A. Great Lakes Prey on trout